Welcome to the Jersey Safeguarding Partnership Board Child Protection Procedures Manual

The Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2022 became effective on the 26th March 2024. In view of this, the multi-agency online children’s safeguarding procedures have been extensively updated to align with the Law and the Statutory Guidance.

Links to the Law and Statutory Guidance are available within this document.

Please refer to the Children and Young People Safeguarding Referrals Procedure.

These Safeguarding Child Protection Procedures were commissioned and collaboratively delivered through the Safeguarding Children Partnership Board. Safeguarding is Everyone's Business; these procedures are for anyone who works with or cares for children who may require early intervention, have identified health and development needs or may be at risk of or experiencing significant harm, this includes paid or unpaid colleagues, carers, family members and members of the public.

The adult at risk population is covered by the Jersey Safeguarding Adult Partnership Board Procedures.

The procedures are based on the Children’s [Jersey] Law 2002 and the Children and Young People’s (Jersey) Law 2022. This is reflected in the Safeguarding Partnership Board Memorandum of Understanding. In essence, these set out the process of a multi-agency agreement for meeting the health and development needs, safeguarding and protecting the welfare children and young people in Jersey.

Statutory Responsibilities

This chapter should be read alongside the Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2022 and associated statutory guidance, and the Jersey Children’s First Framework.

A set of e-learning training modules are available to explain key areas of the statutory guidance and help practitioners apply this to practice: Guidance and training for Jersey's Children First including statutory guidance training.

The Shared Practice Framework: Jersey Children First

Jersey’s Children First is the overarching framework which sets out how you should work together to ensure children, young people and their families can access the right help at the right time from the right services. It aligns with the statutory guidance for the Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2022 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and sets out a seamless multi-agency approach so that resources, information and support move with the child as they grow and develop. At the heart of Jersey's Children First is a commitment to early intervention and prevention for children which is coordinated around children and families when needed. Early intervention means providing support as soon as a problem emerges, at any point in a child and young person’s life. Intervening early is more effective than reacting later, once a problem has become entrenched or has reached crisis point. There is a range of guidance and training for Jersey's Children First (gov.je) including tools and resources to support you to use the practice framework.

The Children and Families’ Plan (2024-2027) is the Government’s strategic plan for children and young people, ensuring system alignment and interconnections across Government and partner agencies. The shared vision is SPB Jesey Safeguarding Partnership Board Child Protection Procedures 2024 that all children should have an equal opportunity to be safe, flourish and fulfil their potential. This vision will be achieved by focusing on 5 ‘Big Picture Outcomes’, All children and young people in Jersey:

Live healthy, happy lives.

Learn and achieve.

Enjoy a decent standard of living.

Grow up safely.

Are included, respected and valued.

First time users, please see the Introduction Chapter and then 'Using this Manual' for details about the way this manual works. It will explain how these procedures have been structured and the ease with which they can be navigated. You must also read the section in on printing and retaining copies.

You can register to be automatically updated every time this manual is updated - do this by clicking on the 'Register for Updates' button below.

For further details, please e-mail: safeguardingpartnershipboard@gov.je.